The Patriots have been revitalized this season with new head coach Mike Vrabel, returning offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and second-year QB Drake Maye. The running game has been inconsistent, but the timeshare has mostly leaned toward incumbent veteran Rhamondre Stevenson, with rookie TreVeyon Henderson showing flashes of potential but not getting consistent playing time. Stevenson didn’t practice on Wednesday, though, and the door could open for Henderson if Stevenson is sidelined. Let’s dive into the timeshare and see what to expect if Stevenson is out this week against the Falcons.
Rhamondre Stevenson update
The Patriots didn’t make a big deal of any injury to Stevenson and Vrabel made a comment about getting veterans rest days in the coming weeks. This situation could be just that, or it could be something more.
At the same time Stevenson was out, the Pats signed running back Terrell Jennings to the 53-man roster and also added D’Ernest Johnson to the practice squad. All of these things could be totally unrelated, but they are at least enough to make you go “hmmmm.”
Stevenson has been shouldering the workload lately for New England, playing 75% of the snaps in Week 7 and 74% in Week 8. While he was strong in Week 7 with 88 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, he only had 34 yards on 14 carries against the Browns in Week 8.
Overall, he hasn’t had many explosive plays this season, totaling 279 yards on his 83 carries (3.4 yards per carry), and scoring just three touchdowns.
If he’s injured or out, Henderson could have more sizzle, but it’s also possible that Vrabel and McDaniels stick with their veteran player after getting him some extra rest this week.
TreVeyon Henderson upside
Even though Henderson only played 21% of snaps last week, he was much more effective than Stevenson, taking his 10 carries for 75 yards. The rookie from Ohio State has gotten lots of fantasy attention for his high ceiling as a playmaker but hasn’t gotten a consistent enough workload to realize his potential.
The coaching staff did more in Week 8 to get Henderson in space, and he converted those runs into big plays. He also learned to run to the opposite side of Myles Garrett, who caused a fumble on the left.
Henderson is a dynamic, big-play threat, but his snap count is still low, making him a high-risk flex play in any matchup. If he gets more work, though, he would bring a very high ceiling. The question is if he’ll ever get it in the Patriots’ current setup.
The Bottom Line
With Stevenson around, Henderson isn’t getting enough work to be a weekly starter in DFS or season-long leagues. However, if Stevenson is out, Henderson could potentially be a flex option. He’d still be “boom-or-bust” since the Patriots would likely mix in Terrell Jennings or D’Ernest Johnson as a more typical “power” back between the tackles, where Henderson has struggled.
If Stevenson is out this week against the Falcons, Henderson would be a very interesting DFS play at just $4,900 in DraftKings contests like the NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]. He does bring the big-play potential and the Falcons rank 10th against running backs this season, giving him potential for a breakthrough game.
He will be high-risk in any situation, but the offense is scoring enough points and his raw talent is still enough to keep him on the radar as a late-season breakout candidate.
